stone walls, but he will not be able to come in. It is
indeed very pleasant to live in old Norway. But where are the lads?"

Where indeed were they? Why, running about the fields, and blowing
out the will-o'-the-wisps, who so good-naturedly came and brought
their torches.

"What tricks have you been playing?" said the old goblin. "I
have taken a mother for you, and now you may take one of your aunts."

But the youngsters said they would rather make a speech and
drink to their good fellowship; they had no wish to marry. Then they
made speeches and drank toasts, and tipped their glasses, to show that
they were empty. Then they took off their coats, and lay down on the
table to sleep; for they made themselves quite at home. But the old
goblin danced about the room with his young bride, and exchanged boots
with her, which is more fashionable than exchanging rings.

"The cock is crowing," said the old elfin maiden who acted as
housekeeper; "now we must close the shutters, that the sun may not
scorch us."

Then the hill closed up. But the lizards continued to run up and
down the riven tree; and one said to the other, "Oh, how much I was
pleased with the old goblin!"

"The boys pleased me better," said the earth-worm. But then the
poor miserable creature could not see.

THE EMPEROR'S NEW SUIT

Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of
new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his
only ambition was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his
soldiers, and the theatre did not amuse him; the only thing, in
fact, he thought anything of was to drive out and show a new suit of
clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day; and as one would say
of a king "He is in his cabinet," so one could say of him, "The
emperor is in his dressing-room."

The great city where he resided was very gay; every day many
strangers from all parts of the globe arrived. One day two swindlers
came to this city; they made people believe that they were weavers,
and declared they could manufacture the finest cloth to be imagined.
Their colours and patterns, they said, were not only exceptionally
beautiful, but the clothes made of their material possessed the
wonderful quality of being invisible to any man who was unfit for
his office or unpardonably stupid.

"That must be wonderful cloth," thought the emperor. "If I were to
be dressed in a suit made of this cloth I should be able to find